Lighting apparatus.



R. M. DIXON & e. E. HULsE.

LIGHTING APPARATUS. APPLIOATIOIJILED 001.15, 1906 a SHEETS-SHEET 1 WITNESSES:

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

R. M. DIXON & G. E. HULSB. LIGHTING APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED 0CT.15, 1906.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES.

R. M. DIXON & G. E. HULSE. LIGHTING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED 00115, 1906.

Patentedv Apr. 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

4s 54 52 53 M W WW w w 7 4s 7 as s as 2 as WW M Mmomvm lwmroks UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. DIXON, OF EAST ORANGE, AND GEORGE E. HULSE, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE SAFETY GAR HEATING 86 LIGHTING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LIGHTING APPARATUS.

\ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT M. DIXON and GEORGE E. HULSE, residing at East Orange and Jersey City, in the counties of Essex and Hudson, respectively, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lighting Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates, with regard to certain features thereof, to the lighting of cars and other vehicles,.and with regard to certain other features to the vaporizing of hydrocarbons and their preparation to serve efficiently as a fuel.

Oneof the objects thereof is to provide car-lighting apparatus of an efficient and dependable character.

Another objectis to provide carbureting means of compact and durable construction and efiicient and economical action.

Another object is to provide regulating means adapted for use in conjunction with carbureters for rendering their action uniform.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of our invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the same. Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation taken through a carbureter. Fig. 3 is an end view of the carbureter. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of regulating apparatus. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing carbureting apparatus mounted upon a car. Figs. 6 and 7 are 'sectional detail views of a 3-way cock.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In order-that the several features of this invention may be readily grasped and fully understood, it may here be noted that carlighting systems depending for fuel upon gas compressed in storage reservoirs possess the serious defect that-the storage tanks are likely to become exhausted unless they receive the most painstaking care and thorough inspection, thus leaving the car entirely without light. This failure of the lighting system, moreover, is likely to occur in a location in which the somewhat expensive installation for supplying the compressed gas is lacking, and in this cont-ingency the results are often disagreeable to a high degree. It may also be noted that in the use of carbureters, especially if it be attempted to employ the same upon cars or in similar locations, it is often requisite that a large output be furnished with a comparatively small consumption of space for the apparatus, thus necessitating a compact and efficient construction. It may also 13' noted that if it be attempted to use a carbureter in the above relation, the variations in pressure in the source of-air supply and the extreme variations in temperature to which the apparatus is exposed tend to a serious lack of uniformity in the pressure and burning qualities-of the resultant gas; the latter effect following by reason of the well known principles that upona liquid being raised in temperature or exposed to a lesser surface pressure, the rate of evaporation is in-.

creased, with of course an opposite result under the reverse circumstances.

The above and other defects are eliminated and many positive advantages attained in construetionsof the nature of that hereinafter described.

. Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, there is shown diagrammatically a car body 1 having mounted thereon gas lamps 2 supplied by apparatus connected with the air brake, pipe 3, which is shown on a lar; er

scale in Fig. 1. Leading from air brake pipe 3 is a pipe 4, the passage through which is controlled, as by the cock 5. This conduit leads through the brake cylinder 6 and I air reservoir 7 connected with the remote end of which is a pipe 8. In the latter memher is positioned a check valve 9 adapted to ermit the passage of fluid in the direction indicated by the-arrow. From this check valve the conduit leads toaTconnection 10, one arm of which leads to regulating apparatus l1 hereinafter described more in detail, and the other arm 12 of which leads to a carbureter 13. The latter apparatus, best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, comprises an inner cylinder 14 and an outer jacketing cylinder 15 for a purpose hereinafter described. These cylinders are held in properly spaced relation, as by the heads 16 and 17. From this carbureter a conduit 18 leads through a pressure regulator 19 to a 3-Way cook 20, another port of which leads through the gas conduit 21 to the lighting apparatus. The remaining port of the 3-way cook 20 is adapted to open connection with a cylinder 22 containing compressed gaseous fuel, preferably of the well known Pintsch type, a regulator 23 being interposed in the connection between these parts.

It will thus be seen that with the 3-way cook 20 in the position indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the gas conduit is supplied from the tank or reservoir 22, the regulator 23, which may be an adjustable pressure regulator of a well known type, serving to maintain the gas at the desired constant pressure. If the cock is turnedinto the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings; how'- ever, as for example upon the contents of the tank 22 being exhausted, the latter tank is cut off from connection with the conduit 21' and connection opened between this pipe 'and the carbureting apparatus through the pressure regulator 19, which may be so set as to supply gas of such pressure as is best adapted for use in view of its richness or other factors.

Recurring now to the carbureter, it is noted thattheinner cylinder 14 is substantiall filled with permeable blocks 24, preferab y set upon edge, as shown in the drawings. These blocks are preferably formed of asbestos, though certain other material may be used without sacrifice of all of the advantageous features of this carburetor. Passing through the upper portion of the cylinder 14 and the blocks packed therein, is a perforated tube 25 closed at one end 26 and having its other end 27 adapted for connection through a valve 28 with a filling tank 29, the pipe leading from this valve being adapted to project well down intothe tank. The outer or ja cketing chamber 30 within cylinder 15 is exposed to the full pressure of air from -the braking system, and serves, in a measure, as a storage reservoir therefor in view of the act-ion of check valve 9, which maintains the pressure therein as well as tends to strain the air and free it from foreign particles. A pipe leads from the chamber 30 through a valve 31 to the filling tank 29, the latter being of such construction as to adapt it to be rendered sub stantially airtight, and, upon the fluid pressure therein bein raised by the opening of the valve 31, to orce the hydrocarbon con-.

tained therein upwardly through pipe 32 and into the perforated tube 25. From this point the hydrocarbon percolates through the blocks 24, and upon the latter becomingsaturated, the supply may be turned off, the

point at which this action is taken being determined through a tell-tale cook 33.

The aim of the regulating apparatus 11 is, as above intimated, to render uniform amount of hydrocarbon vaporized per unit of air supply, and depends thus upon a substantially constant rate of evaporation of the volatile fluid. The rate of evaporation, in accordance with the well known laws of physics, varies, other factors being equal, inversely with the surface pressure and directly with the temperature. Both of these factors necessarily vary widely in the apparatus set forth, the air-braking pressure being far .from constant and the temperature extending over a wide range dependent on climatic conditions. The aim of this in- "ention so far as this regulator is concerned is to cause these variables exactly to neutralize one another by an increase in surface pressure upon the hydrocarbon, due to opening of a throttle valve, upon a rise in temperature of the air supply, and, the temperature being constant, upon a tendency to increase of the air pressure, to throttle the outlet port 37 through which the air passes to the carbureter. The inlet port 36 is provided with a screen 38 to aid in cleansing the incoming air, and is controlled by a valve 39 having a ball-and-socket connection with a screw 40 in a lever 41 pivoted to the fitting 42 in which the valve'seat is formed. The lever 41 is acted upon by a. springpressed saddle 43 tending to force the same downwardly and open the valve 39, which tendency is opposed by a link 44 connecting the free end of the lever witha diaphragm 45 securely mounted upon the upper side of maintained substantially constant at any desired value determined by the adjustment of the parts.

Mounted upon casin 35 is a composite casing 46, the lower side of which is open a and registers with the upper surface of the diaphragm 45, as shown in the drawings. These casings are held in fixed relative position in any desired manner, and it will be seen that the resultant effect upon the diaphragm is that due to the difference in air pressures in the upper and lower chambers. The chamber within casing 46 is supplied with air through a small port 47 connected, as by the by-pass 48, with the main supply conduit. The outlet from this chamber is controlled by a thermostatic device comprising a brass rod 49 fixed at one end within an iron tube 50, as by fins 51, and having formed at its other end a valve 52 coacting with a seat formed in a bushing 53 tapped within the tube 50. Rod 49 and tube 50 being in spaced relation, it will be seen that upon the valve 52 leaving its seat, the air may ass within the tube and out of the cham er through the exit port 54. Rod 49 and tube 50 are, moreover, so constituted and formed as, upon the air being of a. low temperature, to open the valve 52 and permit the escape of the air entering through port 47, thus exposingthe diaphragm to atmospheric pressure only upon its upper side and permitting the full throttling action of the pressure-controlled apparatus first described. If, however, the temperature of the incoming air rises, with a corresponding increase 1n carrying power for vaporizing purposes, the higher temperature will so expand rod 49 as partially to close the valv e 5 2, and, the air supply being constant through port 47 the pressure is raised in the upper chamber, with a corresponding depressing effect upon the diaphragm an tendency to open the valve 39. In this manner the pressure of the fluid supply to the 'carbureter is, if of constant temperature,

maintained at a constant value, but if this ,temperature rises, the tendency to increase in vaporization of the hydrocarbon and richness of gas is counteracted by an increase of pressure with a corresponding decrease in rapidity of evaporation. The richness of the resulting mixture is thus maintained constant irrespective of its pressure and irrespectiveof the temperature to which the apparatus is exposed. The auxiliary pressure regulator 19 positioned upon the remote side -.of the carbureter moreover, equalizes the pressure at which this uniform mixture is supplied to the lamps.

The method of use of the above-described embodiment of our invention is-as follows:

Assuming the carbureting apparatus to be in inoperative condition, if the cock 5 be opened, air is immediately supplied to the outer storage reservoir 30. The filling tank 29 is then connected as indicated in dotted lines in the drawings, and valves 28 and 31 being opened, the pressure from the-reservoir 30 upon the upper surface of the hydrocarbon quickly forces the same into the perforated tube 25, from which it percolates through the blocks 24 until the entire mass is, saturated. Upon a state of saturation being reached, the hydrocarbon will tend to accumulate at the bottom of the inner cylinder 14 and to pass off at the tell-tale cock 33, whereupon this cock as well as the valves 28 and 31 are closed. If now the supply of compressed fuel within tank 22 be exhausted, the cock 20 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7, whereupon the air will pass from the T connection 10 through the temperature and pressure regulator 11, and thence through the saturated mass comprising blocks 24.

At the remote end of the carbureter, the carbureted air, which is of uniform richness, as above set forth, is conducted to the pressure regulator19, which maintains uniform and at the desired point the pressure of the gas passing to 3-way cock 20 and thence to the lamps 2. a

It will be seen that the entire apparatus is mounted upon'the car and is thus always ready for emergency. The filling tank 29 is merely to be supplied with hydrocarbon and the pressure of the braking system is always at the disposal of the operator in charging If desired moreover, the

the carbureter. filling-tank 29 may be dispensed with and the carbureter filled by an air injector actuated from the braking system and provided with a suction hose which maybe let down into a bucket or other receptacle containing the hydrocarbon, the latter being, if desired,

carried upon the car, thus rendering the system quite self-contained.

Briefly recapitulating the action of the entire apparatus, the air is supplied from the braking system, stored in a reservoir which jackets and thus tends to render of a uniform temperature the carbureting apparatus, and'is readily accessible for charging the same. The air supply is led through the carbureter after such regulation as to insure uniformity of action, and is thence led through a regulator which renders constant the pressure as well as richness of the resultant gas. The system thus far described furnishes a source of fuel possessing uniform burningqualities and at all times read- 11y accessible. Another source of fuel is provided in the compressed gar reservoir, and independent connections adapted for alternative use lead from these sources to the utilizing apparatus, namely, the lighting system of the car. Independent regulators, moreover, are positioned in each of these connect-ions, which may be so adjusted as to adapt each fuel, irrespective of its original characteristics. for efficient use with a single lighting system and to do away with the necessity for adjustment upon changing from one source to the other.

It will thus be seen that there is provided apparatus in which the several objects of our invention are achieved and the advantageshereinbeforc noted arm-among others, present in a high degree. The entire system is of a simple, non-complicated construction, with a resultant low first cost and dependable action. The manipulation is of the simplest character, and the regulation not only exact, but automatic in action. The apparatus, moreover, is independent of auxiliary elements, and may be carried upon an ordinary car with a minimum consumption of space and additional load, and is well adapted to serve not only as an auxiliary system, but, if necessary, as the sole source of'light of the rolling stock upon which it is mounted.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon an air-braking system, a lighting system and a carbureter, connections between said airbraking system and said carbureter and between said. carbureter and said lighting system, whereby said carbureter is supplied from said braking system and supplies said lighting system, means positioned in said first connection adapted to regulate the air supply in accordance with the temperature thereof, and means positioned in said sec-. ond connection adapted to maintain sub-' stantially constant the pressure of the fluid passing therethrough.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a "car having mounted thereon an air-braking system, a lighting system and a carbureter, connections between said air-braking system and said carbureter and between said carbureter and said lighting system, whereby said carbureter is supplied from said braking system and supplies said lighting system, means positioned in said first connection adapted to regulate the air supply in accordance with the temperature and pressure thereof, and means positioned in said second connection adapted to maintain substantially constant the pressure of the fluid passing therethrough.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, an air supply pipe leading thereto, a gas discharge pipe leading therefrom, means in said first pipe adapted to decrease the air supply in accordance with a decrease in the temperature thereof, and means in said second pipe adapted to maintain substantially constant the pressure of the through.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, an air supply pipe leading thereto, a gas discharge pipe leading therefrom, means in said first pipe adapted to regulate the air supply in accordance with the temperature and pressure thereof, and means in said second pipe adapted to maintain substantially constant the pressure of the gas discharged.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air. supply, and means interposed between said carbureter and said source of supply adapted to increase the air supply in accordance with an increase in the temperature thereof.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, and means interposed between said carbureter and said source of supply adapted to regulate the air supply in accordance with changes of temperature or pressure thereof.

gas discharged there- 7. In apparatus of the class described, in"

combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a conduit adapted to lead air from said source of supply to said carbureter, a valve interposed in .said conduit, means controlled in accordance with an increase of pressure of said air supply tending to close said valve, and means adapted, upon the temperature thereof increasing, to tend to open said valve.

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a conduit leading from said source of supply to said carbureter, a valve interposed in said conduit, and means adapted, upon the temperature of said air combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a conduit leading from said source of supply to said carbureter, a valve interposed in said conduit, and means through which said air supply is led comprisinga diaphragm operatively connected with said valve and exposed upon one side to the pressure of the air supply and upon its other side to a pressure varying directly with the temperature of the air supply.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a conduit leading from said source of supply to said carbureter, a valve interposed in said conduit, and means through which said air supply is led comprising a diaphragm operatively connected with said valve and a chamber upon each side of said diaphragm communieating with said air supply, the outlet of one of said chambers leading to said carbureter and the outlet of the other of said chambers being controlled inversely in ac- I cordance with the temperature of the air supply. n i

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a conduit'leading from said source of supply to said carbureter, a valve interposed in said conduit, means through which said air supply is led comprising a diaphragm operatively con-. nected with said valve and a chamber at each side thereof, both of said chambers being connected with said air supply and one of said chambers being provided with an outlet-leading to said carbureter, and a thermostatic device controlling an outlet in the other ofsaid chambers inversely in accordance with the temperature of the air supply.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, acarbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a conduit leading from said source of supplyto said carbureter," a

valve interposed in said conduit, a dia phragm operatively connected with said valve, a chamber formed upon one side of said diaphragm, means adapted to lead air from said source of supply lnto said chamber, and a thermostatic device controlling an outlet in said chamber inversely in accordancewith the temperature of the air supply.

13. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supfply, a conduit leading from said source 0 supply to said carbureter, a valve interposed in said conduit, a

diaphragm operatively connected with said valve, a chamber formed upon one side of said diaphragm, means adapted to lead air from said sourceof su ply into said cham ber, and a thermostatic device controlling an outlet in said chamber inversely in accordance with the temperature of the air supply, said diaphragm being adapted,upon contracting toward said chamber, to tend to close said valve.

14:. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a carbureter, a source of compressed air supply, a chamber through which air is led from said source of supply to said carbureter, a diaphragm comprising a portion of said chamber, a valve controlling the inlet to said chamber, a connection between said diaphragm and said valve adapted, upon said diaphragm expanding away from said chamber, to tend to close saidvvalve, a chamber formed upon the opposite side of said diaphragm, a by-pass leading from said air supply to said second chamber, and a thermostatic device. controlling an outlet from said second chamber and adapted to regulate the pressure accumulating therein directly in accordance with thetemperature of the air supply.

15. In an apparatus of theclass described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon an air-braking system, a gas-lighting system, and a carbureter, a connection between said ca/rbureter and said gas-lighting system, means actuated from said airbraking. system adapted to force a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, a connection between said air-braking systemand said carbureter whereby air from said air-braking systemis led into said carbureter and the contents thereof vaporized, a regulator in the first of said connections adapted to maintain substantially constant the pressure supplied to saidlighting system, and a regulator. in the second of said connections adapted to control the air supply in accordance with changes in heat or pressure thereof.

16. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon an air-braking system, a. gas-lighting system and a carbureter, a connection between said carbureter'and said gas-lighting system, means actuated from said airbraking" system adapted to force a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, a connection be tween. said air-braking system and said carbureter whereby air is led into said carbureter and the contents thereof vaporized, and means positioned in the second of said connections adapted to control theair supply in accordance with changes in temperature or pressure thereof. A

17. In apparatus of .the class described, in combination, a car having mounted-thereon a gas-lighting system, an air-braking system and a carbureter, saldcarbureter compris mg an lnternal carburetmg chamber and an outer jacketing chamber adapted to store compressed air, means actuated'by air-tram said outer chamber.adapted-toforce a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, a connection between said air-braking system and said outer chamber, and a check valve positioned in said connection.

18. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon a gas-lighting system, an air-braking system and a carbureter, said carbu- 'reter comprising an internal carbureting chamber and an outer jacketing chamber adapted to store compressed air, means actuated by air from said outer chamber adapted to force a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, a connection between said airbraking system and said outer chamber, a check valve positioned in said connection, and means positioned in said connection adapted to control the air passing therethrough "in accordance with changes in the temperature or pressure thereof.

19. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon an air-braking system, a carbureter and a gas-lighting system, a connection between said carbureter and said lighting system, a connection between said airbraking system and said carbureter, a pressure regulator positioned in said first connection, a valve in said second connection, and means controlled in accordance with an increase of temperature of the air supply adapted to tend-to open said valve.

20. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon a lighting system, an air-braking system and a carbureter, a connection between said carbureter and said lighting system, a pressure regulator in said connection adapted to maintain substantially constant the pressure of gas supplied to said lighting system, means actuated from said air-braking system adapted to force a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, means actuated from said air-braking system adapted to force air through said carbureter and vaporize the contents thereof, and means adapted to regulate the pressure of the air supply from said braking system to said carbureter directly in accordance with the temperature thereof.

21. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon a lighting system, an air-braking system, and a carbureter, a connection between said carburetor and said lighting system, means actuated from said air-braking system adapted to force a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, and means actuated from said air-braking system adapted to force air through said carbureter and vaporize said hydrocarbon.

22. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a car having mounted thereon a lighting system, an air-braking system and a carbureter, a connection between said carbureter and said lighting system, means actuated from said air-braking system adapted to force a hydrocarbon into said carbureter, means actuated from said airbraking system adapted to force air through said carbureter and vaporize said hydrocarbon, and means adapted to regulate the pressure of the air supply from said braking system'to said carbureterdirectly in accord ance with the temperature thereof.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. DIXON. GEORGE E. HULSE. Witnesses:

G. R. Jnwn'r'r, E. E. ALLBEE. 

